Today at Sunday school, I learned many valuable lessons, and it was a fun experience. At the start of class, our teacher was terribly upset because many students hadn’t completed their homework. He reminded us that Sunday school is an optional program, not mandatory, and this tied into the fourth pledge we follow in our class.
After that, we began our lesson. Our teacher emphasized that we should always say “Bismillah” before doing anything. He explained that we need to nourish ourselves both physically and spiritually. If you don’t say “Bismillah” before eating, you are only feeding your body with nutrients, not your soul spiritually.
Later, Dr. F joined the class and continued the lesson. He encouraged us to always smile, explaining that smiling shows happiness and confidence, which makes others perceive you as kind and leaves them with positive impressions. Before Dr. F arrived, our teacher had discussed the importance of dressing appropriately for different settings. He brought this up because one student came to Sunday school wearing shorts, which wasn’t suitable for the Masjid. He explained that we should dress according to the occasion, for example, you wouldn’t wear swimwear to a funeral.
Our teacher also taught us that if Allah commands us to do something and we fail to follow through, we should feel ashamed. He used the example of the student wearing shorts: if they returned next week still wearing shorts, they would likely feel ashamed because they already knew better. This lesson reminded us to follow Allah’s guidance.
We also discussed time management. Dr. F stressed that without good time management, success is impossible. He pointed out that time cannot be bought, not even for a billion dollars, not even for ten minutes. He advised us to limit time spent watching shows or playing games and instead focus on reading. He explained that reading and traveling boost your IQ, and since we are young, we should “travel through books” by learning new things through reading.
Additionally, we learned never to lie, even if it seems like it’s for a good reason. Allah instructs us to always tell the truth, so if there’s something you don’t want to share, it’s better to be honest than to lie.
At the end of class, Dr. F shared that everyone is born a Muslim, but the people and environment around us can influence our path. That’s how our Sunday school lesson ended, and I felt like I gained many valuable insights today.